Game apparatus.



A. R. COLEMAN. GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 00124, 1910.

Patented June 27, I911.

| "I: Nonms PETERS co.. WASHINGTUN, n. c.

AVA R. COLEMAN, OF PALIVIYRA, VIRGINIA.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 24, 1910.

Patented June 2'7, 1911.

Serial No. 588,814.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AvA R. COLEMAN, citizen of the United States, residing at Palmyra, in the county of Fluvanna and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a speclfication.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in game apparatus, and the invention has for its primary object an apparatus of this character so con structed and arranged that the rules governing the game and the method of playing the same can be readily understood, even by young children, while at the same time the element of chance is so equally balanced against quickness, of eye, skill, judgment and balancing power, as to tax the players, regardless of how skilful they may become.

The invention also has for its object a game apparatus of the type which embodies a game board and a series of rolling ob ects movable over the board by tilting the latter, which will possess an element of mystery and tax the ingenuity and skill of the players owing to the peculiar constructlon of the moving objects, the shape of the game board and the fact that the board may be equipped with one or more movable or stationary magnets tending to divert the ordinary grav tating movements of the balls or rolllng ob ects, the balls themselves being preferably so constructed as to also roll in an irregular manner, these features not only adding to the difficulty of playing the game, but renderlng the same more interesting.

The invention has for a still further object a simple and inexpensive game apparatus which may be easily manufactured and produced at a relatively low cost.

With these and other objects in vlew as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements and combina tions of the parts as I will hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a game board constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a magnet that may be employed. Figs. 4 to 10 inclusive are views of different balls which may be used.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 1 designates the board of my improved game apparatus, said board being dished as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 and being provided with an upturned marginal retaining rim 2 which preferably merges gradually into the main bottom or body portion of the board. In the preferred form of the board, the same slopes upwardly from all sides toward the center.

In connection with the board 1 I may employ a cupshaped centrally disposed base 3, the same being secured to the bottom of the board 1 in any desired way, as by an annular retaining flange 4: formed on the bottom of the board and into which the edge of the base 3 is adapted to be sprung, this construction and arrangement of parts rendering the elements capable of being easily assembled and disassembled. Interposed between the cup-shaped base 3 and the bottom of the board 1 may be placed a bar magnet 5, said magnet being preferably curved longitudinally, as illustrated in the drawing, and being provided with an eccentrically disposed pivot or spindle 6 on which it is mounted to turn, the spindle being mounted in openings formed in the central bulged portion 7 of the board 1, and the upper face of the base 8. By having the magnet 5 eccentrically pivoted, it is clear that when the board 1 is tilted, the gravitating effect of the magnet 5 will produce constantly shifting lines of magnetic force which will add to the difficulty of playing the game, as the balls that are designed to roll over the upper face of the board when playing the game are formed of or have incorporated therein a substance such as steel or iron capable of being attracted by the magnet. It will thus be understood that the magnet 5 will tend to attract the balls as they approach the center of the upper face of the board 1, in which the goal pit 8 is formed, thereby tending to divert the balls from their normal gravitating movements and adding to the difliculty of playing the game as well as increasing the interest of the players.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to any particular construction of ball or rolling object and that any desired number of these may be used, and that the balls themselves may be so formed as to move irregularly by the force of gravity or from other causes. It is also to be understood that one or more magnets of any desired shape, attached firmly to or rotating beneath the game board, may be used if desired.

For different modifications of the balls or rolling objects, reference is to be had to Figs. 4 to 10 inclusive. The ball illustrated in Fig. 4:, designated 9, is preferably hollow and is of irregular shape as shown so that it will not roll for any definite distance along any predetermined line, and it may be composed of any metal, preferably that which will be attracted by the freely moving magnet 5, although it is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the use of the magnet or to the particular arrangement thereof herein described and shown in the drawing.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated another form of ball, designated 9, the same being preferably hollow and formed of celluloid or the like and containing small magnets 10 therein, said magnets being either horseshoeshaped or of the bar type.

In Fig. 6 is illustrated another form of ball, the same being here designated 9" and being hollow, this ball containing a preferably centrally disposed small iron or steel weight 11 suspended by two or more coil springs 12 as shown.

In Fig. 7 a ball 9 is shown, the same be ing also hollow and formed with any desired number of small protuberances or obstructions on the inner surface of the ball, the ball containing any desired number of small steel or iron balls 14.

In Fig. 8 the ball 9 is shown as hollow like the ball 9 and similarly formed with obstructions designated 15 formed on the interior of the ball, only one ball or weight 16 being loosely mounted in the ball 9 in contradistinction to relatively small weights or balls 14 as are illustrated in Fig. 7

In Fig. 9 is shown a hollow ball, designated 9 containing one iron or steel ball 17 yieldingly supported in the center of the hollow ball 9 by a slender piece of spring steel as indicated at 18.

In Fig. 10, the ball there designated 9 is also hollow with an iron or steel weight 19 glued or otherwise secured firmly to the interior wall .of the ball.

Any one of these constructions is within the purview of my invention, as well as other modifications and variations within the scope of the appended claims. By experiment I have found that the ball 9 is the liveliest of the different modifications described and shown, while the ball 9 is the most puzzling ball in its movements, and obviously the ball 9 will be found to be the cheapest to make.

It is also to be understood that my invention is not limited to any particular game,

net 5 as they approach the central but that various games may be played with theapparatus which forms the subject matter of the invention. Merely as an example, however, of one game that may be played with the apparatus, I may state that in one embodiment of the invention the upper surface of the board 1 has topographically displayed thereon the Arctic regions and the routes taken by the various discoverers or' explorers, the central pit 8 representing the North Pole. The balls may represent any two or more rival explorers and their assistant-s, or some of them may represent explorers and their Eskimos. Obviously a great many variations will be apparent to those skilled in the manufacture and exploitation of game apparatus. But in playing the game in the sample here selected, seven balls may be used, four of them being colored brown and known as the Eskimo, one being black and known as the negro who accompanied Mr. Peary in his 1907 expedition, another being white and known as Mr. Peary, and another red and known as Dr. Cook. To play'the game, these sets of balls for instance are placed upon the board and each player inturn by manipulating the board in various ways will attempt to roll the ball representing the man of his choice into the center pit 8, the effort being continued until one of the balls rolls into the pit when it is the next players turn to try. Any number of players may join in the game and each one may choose any one of the three principals, namely, Cook, Peary or the negro. There being four of the Eskimos, they play their own part by reaching the goal accidentally, and at the same time, as is evident, they will delay the successful operation of the game by obstructing the other balls. The player who first succeeds in putting his or her man in the pit 8, say ten times, wins the game. As the balls are attracted by the constantly shifting mag it 8 they will be eccentrically diverted froiii the direction of movement desired by the player and thereby add. to the zest of the game. Furthermore, the general curved shape of the board I in connection with the topographical formation which may or may not appear on the surface of the game board with a greater or less elevation, on the upper surface of the board will tend to prevent the balls rolling in a predetermined definite plane, and the balls themselves will, by the formation hereinbefore described, tend to produce eccentric and entirely unlooked for movements.

That I claim is:

l. A game apparatus, comprising a board formed with a centrally disposed goal, an eccentrically pivoted magnet secured to the board underneath the goal, andballs adapted to roll over the surface of the board and constructed so as to be attracted by the surface of the board and constructed so as 10 magnet. to be attracted by said magnet.

2. A game apparatus, comprising a board In testimony whereof, I affix my signature formed With a goal and provided on its in presence of tWo Witnesses. 5 lower surface With an annular projection, a

cup-shaped base secured to the board by AVA COLEMAN said projection, a magnet eccentrically piv- Witnesses:

oted underneath the goal between the board BLANOHE L. SHEPHERD,

and base, and balls adapted to roll over the WILLIAM WALLACE WILLS.

Copies of this patent-may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

